California's top livable mid-size cities

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Palo Alto was No. 1 in the list of top cities to live in by Livability.com. The city, which has about 66,000 residents according to census figures, is home to Stanford University. Above, a 2012 file photo shows a view of a home sold in the area.

Palo Alto was No. 1 in the list of top cities to live in by Livability.com. The city, which has about 66,000 residents according to census figures, is home to Stanford University. Above, a 2012 file photo shows a view of a home sold in the area. (Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

The city of Berkeley ranked No. 3 in the overall list, but it's the second most livable city in California. Above, a 2012 file photo shows a lease sign in front of an apartment building.

The city of Berkeley ranked No. 3 in the overall list, but it's the second most livable city in California. Above, a 2012 file photo shows a lease sign in front of an apartment building. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Livability.com released its list of top cities to live in last week, and several California cities made the cut. The list is based on several factors including affordability, infrastructure and quality of schools. Cities considered had populations between 25,000 and 350,000.